The most common indication that someone should get a shoulder replacement is shoulder pain because of arthritis that can’t be controlled with nonsurgical treatments. Such pain is typically amid a progressive stiffness and loss of motion, within which patients typically experience grinding or grating sensation among the shoulder joint.
Some patients experiencing early arthritis might think about additional conservative management of their condition to work out whether or not a shoulder replacement is critical or could also be delayed. Such measures include:
- Physical therapy.
- Medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Corticosteroid injections (These are typically suggested before a shoulder replacement procedure. Most candidates, however, won’t experience lasting relief from these injections, creating shoulder replacement a necessary next step if the pain is uncontrolled.)